God tells the exiles to put on the garment of praise and strength─remove the fetters and the metal band that encircled the neck─they were no longer prisoners. They had sold themselves and now God was reclaiming them without paying anything. When deliverance came God put his spirit in them and brought them home with super divine power. Heralds came across mountains and stopped at every village to announce the news of Cyrus’s victory over Babylon and all the prisoners released. God rolled up his sleeves and flexed his muscles and showed them who ruled heaven and earth. Finally God says get out of Babylon─I will go with you as your guide and rear guard. Verses 13, 14, and 15 belong with the next chapter.

EXPOSITION TO ISAIAH CHAPTER 52

1Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

They were to clothe themselves with the garment of strength and praise. No more were the heathen and pagans to come into Jerusalem and destroy the city and its temple.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT THE TEXT:

Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. Read: Isa 61:3; Eph 4:24

They were to remove the fetters, and the band that encircled the neck that had a ring attached, so that a chain could pass through the eye-ring and allow their captive to chain them up like fastening a dog . When moving slaves from one place to another, they would chain them all together so that none could escape.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT SHED LIGHT ON THE TEXT:

Isa 51:14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. Read: Isa 51:23; Isa 61:1

3For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

They had sold themselves for nothing and now they will be redeemed without price.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT VERIFY THE TEXT:

Isa 45:13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts. Read: 1Pe 1:18-19

4For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

Both Egypt and Assyria had oppressed God’s people.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES THAT

GIVE COUNTEREVIDENCE TO THE TEXT:

Isa 14:25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

5Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

Now they are chained together and marched off to Babylon and these tyrants are terrorizing them; and every day they mock and scoff at the God that Israel serves.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT CONFIRM THE TEXT:

Jer 50:17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Read: Psa 74:18

6Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

When deliverance came and God had put his spirit in them and brought them out of the prisons and restored them to their heritage they knew it was the super power of God.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES THAT

CARRY WEIGHT REGARDING THE TEXT:

Eze 37:13-14 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

Finally a news herald came across the mountains and at every village announced the release and return of the exiles.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT MAKE THE CASE:

Nah 1:15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off. Read: Act 10:36-38

8Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT MAKE THE CASE:

Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. Read: Isa 40:9

Guards in the towers on top of the walls will join in shouting to the townspeople that Babylon had fallen. The eternal has freed his people and now the most remote villages have heard the news.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT INDORSE THE TEXT:

Isa 14:7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. Read: Isa 44:26

10The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

God has rolled up his sleeves and shown his muscle as he brings Babylon down and returns the exiles.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT LEND EVIDENCE TO THE TEXT:

Luk 3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Read: Act 13:47

11Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.

Get out of here─leave this place─don’t look back─just keep moving─leave the plunder because God has better things in store for you. The crew that carried the sacred temple vessels were to be clean (holy, sanctified and honest.)

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT DEMONSTRATE THE TEXT:

Jer 51:6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence. Read: Isa 48:20

12For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.

They were not to leave like a mob or a riot but in a peaceful procession─don’t worry for God is out front as your guide and is at the rear as your guard.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT AUTHENTICATE THE TEXT:

Isa 45:2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

13Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

My servant must refer to Jesus our Messiah─he is head and shoulders above all─exalted.

14As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

They ruined his face and left him disfigured. The crowd was appalled at the inhumane treatment.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES THAT

PRESENT OVERWHELMING PROOF OF THE TEXT:

Isa 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. Read: Isa 53:2-5; Psa 22:15

15So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider

He will sprinkle many nations─under the old economy the blood of bulls and goats were sprinkled for the process of sanctifying.

CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

THAT ARE CONCLUSIVE AND FINAL:

Heb 9:13-14 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Read: Heb 10:22; Heb 12:24; Psa 72:9-11